Bloodlines

1.5 Send Her A Head

Wood River High School, Hailey, ID

The bell rings, bringing and end to class and taking Russell out of walk down memory lane. The last period is over and everyone is filing out of the classroom and leaving school. Brooke packs her bag quickly, then gets up without looking over toward him. She tries to leave but Russell blocks her her exit.

"Look, Brooke, I'm really sorry." He begins, unable to stand not being able to talk to the only true friend he feels like he has at this school.

"You act so strangely whenever I ask you about that thing. It's like you become some other person. I don't know who that person is, but I don't like him." The red-headed girl states, biting her bottom lip in the process.

"It's just...family stuff. I rather not get into it to be honest."

"Is there something I should know?" Russell stares into Brooke's eyes and sees her desire for an honest explanation, something he can never give her. He sighs and looks down.

"No... There's nothing." The disapointment in Brooke's face is heartbreaking.

"Could you please move, then? My step-mom doesn't like it when I'm late." Russell frowns, takes a deep breath, and moves aside to allow Brooke to make her exit. He tosses his books into his backpack roughly and hitches it up to his shoulders. Still in a daze over seeing Brooke's face and the whole mess of the situation at hand, he doesn't even notice upon walking outside the school when suddenly a tall man is standing in front of him.

"Did you miss me?"

"Maxim?! What are you doing here?" Russell asks, surprised and a little angry.

"I just came to say hi." he responds smiling and places a hand on the younger man's shoulder in greeting.

"So you disappear for 17 years, we don't hear anything from you, and now you're here to say "hi"? Are you fucking kidding me? What the hell do you want and don't try to lie to me?"

Maxim sighs. "I had a feeling you would see through that."

"Yeah, I would work on it if I were you. Hate to say it, but your age is showing grandpa." Russell quips haughtily , while pulling out his earbuds from his bag.

Maxim chuckles briefly, but it doesn't take long for him to get serious. "Still so defiant. Good! I've come because I want you and May to come with me to Malibu. I can protect you there but not here."

"This is my home now, so what could you lead you to take May and I from here?" Russell asks.

"Attacks from hunters are increasing in nearby states. They are terrorizing the entire supernatural community. From what I've learned they are all over Washington and Oregon. Idaho could be next. Hailey is no longer safe." Maxim explains.

"How can you know they'll even be coming here? What makes you so sure"

"Because you two are here. You would be...high value targets." he answers.

"When you come to California, you will both enroll at Point Dume Academy."

"It's a school for supernatural species like yourself. You would be safe there."

Russell scratches the back of his head, while thinking. "No, Maxim this isn't necessary, Idaho and Oregon are big states. they can't be everywhere and even if they do, we can handle ourselves just fine. After all we've done just that for the past 17 years."

" Don't you get it? The hunters are organized like never before. They may not be everywhere, but they don't have to be. If you recall, Sun Valley is surrounded by woods and mountains. I'm sure you can guess where an easterly path will take them? Where they'll go looking first?" Maxim remarks.